Their Fifth Year
by Ken Branagh
Summary: Want to know what happened when James was in his fifth year at hogwarts? Wondered why James and Sirius were always in detention? What happened between James and Lily and why do James and Snape hate each other so much? THIRD CHAPTER UP NOW! JAMES AND LILY!
1. Hogwarts Train

James walked up platform 9 and ¾ where he found his best friend, Sirius Black waiting for him. Sirius had shoulder length black hair and a very handsome face. On the other hand, James although being very handsome himself, had messy black hair which refused to lie straight however much he tried. A smile appeared on James' face as he hurried towards him.

"Sirius! Hey!" Padfoot wheeled around and waved in James' direction. By the time James had caught up with Padfoot, he was out of breath and was wheezing slightly.

"Sirius! I'm sorry I couldn't see all summer mate, how have you been?" 

Sirius threw his head back so his hair fell backwards. "Alright I guess. Mum's been a pain in the neck, Kreacher kept trashing my room on mum's orders. That way she could make my clean up my room and stop me going to see Moony or you. I'm glad term's started now though! I couldn't deal with any more of it."

"Yeah…" James looked around dreamily while putting a hand absentmindedly through his hair. "Our fifth year…" He seemed to snap back to realisation. "Hey, where is Moony?"

Sirius then looked slightly disgusted. "Got his letter didn't he? He's been made prefect. He has to sit front with the other prefects so we probably won't see him for the rest of the journey."

James and Sirius began to walk to the Hogwarts Express and they found themselves an empty cabin. "Wonder who the other prefect for Gryffindor is."

Sirius wondered this too. "Probably Megan Shaw. She's been sucking up to Dumbledore since we first started Hogwarts." Sirius made an obvious gesture of Megan sucking up. He put his hands together and began fluttering his eyelashes furiously while saying in a high pitched girly voice "Professor Dumbledore, how are you today, do you need any help professor? I'll make sure no children run in the halls Professor."

James howled with laughter. "Where's wormtail?"

Sirius shot James a disgusted look as though he had just spoiled his fun. "Who cares?"

"Sirius, he's our friend. You should be a little nicer to him you know."

Sirius rolled his eyes "Ok, fine I'll be nicer just for you but he's just a tag along!"

James opened his mouth to speak but at that minute, the door of the compartment flung open and Moony was framed in the doorway. "Hi guys!" Remus took a seat with them. "How are you? Padfoot? Prongs?"

James smiled "More like how are you Moony! Heard you were made a prefect!"

"Yeah!" Moony laughed.

"So?" asked Sirius expectantly. Remus looked at him confused. 

"So?" Sirius repeated again. "Who's the other prefect for Gryffindor? Is it Megan Shaw?"

Remus tried to hide a grin as he turned to meet James' eye. "Not Megan Shaw, no. It's Lily Evans."

"Lily?" James stared at him "NO!"

"No?" Sirius repeated. "Isn't that a good thing…unless that makes her a geek in which case-" Remus shot him a menacing look.

"It isn't that. It's just I kept sending owls to Evans all summer and I got great plans to get her to get her to notice me. She'll put me in detention."

Remus and Sirius both said together "You'd do anything to be in detention with her!"

Sirius laughed "She's out of reach for you. She hates you mate."

James looked out of the window thinking. "Nah, she doesn't hate me…she just can't handle me."

The door of the cabin opened again and now there was a short fat balding boy standing in the door way, red faced and panting. He staggered into the cabin and collapsed into the seat next to James.

"Hi!" He said Peter while out of breath "I almost missed the train, g-got late."

James, Sirius and Remus shared a look of unpleasantness. The Hogwarts express began to move and the friends began to talk amongst themselves. After a while, all prefects were called to the front of the train while the woman with the food trolley passed by.

"Anything off the trolley dears?" She had a broad smile on her face. James and Sirius bought a couple of chocolate frogs and Sherbet Lemons. Peter didn't have any money on him so he bought nothing. The boys shared their food with Peter and were talking amongst themselves when through the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of red through the cabin window. James got up and slid the door open. He peered out and saw Lily Evans knocking onto the door of the third cabin, behind James'. James crept upto this door and looked into the window to see whose cabin it was. 

"Snivelly!" James whispered shocked. Severus Snape had been James and his friend's worst enemy at Hogwarts. He was a tall thin boy with a pale white face, long jet black, greasy hair and a hooked nose. He wasn't very popular in school like James but he was obsessed with the dark arts and would do almost anything to punish James and Sirius especially for their taunts.

James hurried back to his own cabin and told Sirius and Peter what he saw. When he finished, their mouths were wide open.

"Well what were they doing? Lily and Snivelly? I don't think so. He only likes pure bloods and she's muggle born." Sirius surveyed James with a confused expression.

"Well Lily went to his cabin, not the other way round and I didn't actually see them do anything. I came straight here. Peter, I want you to turn into a rat and go check it out."

With a lot of persuasion, Peter agreed and soon turned into his animagus form of a rat. He inched through the gap in Snape's cabin door while James and Sirius waited in their own cabin. After a couple of minutes, a high pitched squeal could be heard from one of the other cabins. James ran out to survey the situation and found Snape jinxing the rat with his wand as Lily screamed, holding on the Severus. He caught James' eye and a smirk appeared on his face. Severus knew perfectly well that this rat was Peter, spying for James but failed to mention that to Lily. He enjoyed watching the look on James' face as he saw Lily so close to Severus and watching him 'protect' her.

James threw open the door and screamed at Severus picking up a twitching Peter. 

"NO!" He screamed at Severus, unable to contain his fury.

"Excuse me?" Severus said dangerously "Is this your rat James?"

James shot him a look of pure hatred. "Y-Yes it is!" He stammered. "It's my pet rat Scabbers."

Another grin appeared on Snape's face. "Oh I'm so sorry. I had no idea."

James moved towards the door and opened it. He turned around to see Snape sneering. 

"You had just better watch your back Snivelly, I know what you're up to and don't think for a minute that you can get away with it!"

James slammed the door behind him and was about to go back into his cabin when someone behind him pulled at his arm.

"WHAT WAS THAT FOR?" roared Lily. "Severus was only saving me from that rat."

For the first time, James felt angry at Lily for taking Severus' side on this. He burst out "You don't know him Lily. He doesn't like muggle borns, everyone knows that. He probably thinks you're scum. Why did you go in there anyway? Stay away from him Evans."

Lily looked seethingly at him and screamed "Why I went in there is none of your business. You say Severus is scum, well James what I see is poor Severus without anyone that understands him and he has to but up with arrogant snots like you and your cronies bullying him."

Lily stormed off towards the front of the cabin.

James flung open the door of his cabin and slammed it shut behind him.

"We heard everything mate!" Sirius looked sympathetic.

"Girls are stupid!" James said.

Peter was laid down on the seats, looking feverish and bloody. 

"We need to get him to the hospital wing. He's in a terrible state." Sirius was looking at James with panic and concern on his face. There was a knock on the door and Remus appeared. He looked at where Peter was and rushed over. He examined him and decided to give him some chocolate. 

"He'll make it until we get to school then we'll take him to Madam Pomfrey."

James still stood near the door stubbornly. When Remus asked what had happened to Peter, James told him what had just happened between Snape and Lily. Remus howled with laughter with the stupidity of James' situation.

"Prongs, they're not having an affair. Snape's behaviour is just to make you jealous and the only reason Lily went to his cabin was because he's been made prefect for Slytherin but he wasn't informed somehow so Lily was given the task to tell him."

"SNAPE IS PREFECT?!" Sirius and James screamed together. They couldn't believe this. Soon they would have to be answering to Snape.

The train had arrived at Hogwarts as the Maurorders scrambled out. When they reached the castle, Peter's state had become worse as James, Sirius and Remus took him to the hospital wing. Fortunately, Madam Pomfrey never asked what had happened so the friends didn't have to come up with a story.

"He seems to have been hexed pretty badly. He slips in and out of consciousness. He'll have to stay in here at least a month. Now you boys get yourselves down to the Great Hall."


	2. Already Causing Trouble

There was a lot of noise in the Great Hall when the Prongs, Padfoot and Moony arrived. They sat down at the Gryffindor table and greeted other fellow Gryffindors.  
  
"Welcome back!" Dumbledore's voice rang out through the hall and there was silence in an instance. All heads turned towards Dumbledore. "The start of term has begun. I welcome back, all of you who joined me last year and a special welcome to our new first years. I have a few start of term notices before the sorting begins. This year, anyone going into Hogsmead needs to sign out with Mr Filch as some students who don't have permission are escaping. Also, beware of Peeves the poltergeist, this year he has developed a knack for breaking vases on students' heads."  
  
The students looked stunned and then Professor McGonagall brought in an old wooden stool and a tattered wizard's hat. The hat began to sing.  
  
Another year at Hogwarts begins  
The previous year has ended  
We welcome all the new students  
As I sort you into your houses  
  
Will you be in Gryffindor?  
Where dwell the bravest of brave?  
Or will you be in Ravenclaw?  
Whose intelligence is exceptional  
Might you be in Hufflepuff?  
Whose friends are true and many?  
Or will you be in shrewd Slytherin?  
Who do anything to meet their ends  
  
Step in front and take a seat  
Put me on your head  
After I've sang my song  
Let me rack your brains a bit  
I'll tell where you belong  
  
Professor McGonagall called out student's names from a long piece of parchment.  
  
"Robin Smith.Kayla French.Mary Bones.Rachel Thomas."  
  
Some student's went into Gryffindor, but plenty more in Slytherin. Wherever the students were placed, they were greeted with a warm welcome at their table. James whirled around to look at the Slytherin table. Severus was having a laugh with a couple of his Slytherin cronies. They seemed to find something extremely funny as they kept looking over at James. He guessed that Severus had told them about Peter.  
  
Within ten minutes, the food appeared on the table and Sirius began to stuff everything in his mouth, giving himself no time to actually swallow the food.  
  
"So James, any plans for the Marauders this year?" Sirius asked in mock politeness. "Huh? Erm.dunno. We'll see eh?" But James was distracted by the increasing laughter at the Slytherin table. "James, is something wro-" Sirius was unable to complete his sentence as at that precise moment, Lily began to walk up to James.  
  
Lily began to speak to James with a sound of apprehension in her voice. "Can I talk to you for a minute Potter?" James just stared up at her bewildered. "Uh, yeah alright." They began to walk out of the great hall and as James looked back at Remus and Sirius, they were both laughing and winking.  
  
Lily closed the door of the great hall behind her. They were now standing in the corridor against the cold stone walls. It was dark with only torches hanging off the walls for light. "I want to apologise for my behaviour.on the train. I shouldn't have got angry. I didn't know that was your pet rat." Lily began to play with her fingers. "I hope he's okay."  
  
James stared at the floor and then looked up. "He'll be okay. Lily about what I said about Snape.I'm not making it up and it isn't like me and my friends just bully him for the sake of it."  
  
"I know.I've seen how mean he can be." Lily began and then she turned away. "But I don't want to get into it. I just wanted to apologise for over reacting. I better go and unpack." James watched her as Lily strode up the stairs leading to the Gryffindor Common room.  
  
People began to spill out of the Great Hall and Remus and Sirius caught up with James. "So?" Sirius' smile broadened "What happened? What did she want?" James still stared at the stairs she had climbed minutes before. "She wanted to apologise." James told them the whole story as they walked up to the common room. On their way up to the Gryffindor tower, girls giggled when passing James. It was something he was used to by now.  
  
They reached the portrait of the fat lady and Remus said "Pumpkin Juice" The portrait door flung open and they scrambled into the common room. James took his usual seat next to the fire as Remus and Sirius sat on the floor. They preferred it on the floor.  
  
"So, we all chose the same subjects eh?" Remus laughed. "Lets see. We have:  
  
Potions with Professor Riggbug Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall Defence against the dark arts with Madam Quimble Charms with Professor Flitwick History of Magic with Professor Binns Astronomy with Professor Fibbs Divination with Professor Milligan  
  
That's our timetable boys."  
  
Sirius groaned. "I hate defence against the dark arts!" Remus looked mildly surprised. "I thought that was your favourite subject Padfoot." "Yeah, well it was wasn't it? When Professor Sattire was the teacher. Now it's just weird cos Madam Quimble fancies me."  
  
Remus and James hooted with laughter. "At least you're learning the good stuff."  
  
"GOOD STUFF???" Sirius screamed. "While the rest of the class are learning how to put hexes and binding charms on your opponent, she's teaching me PERSONALLY and ONLY me how to shower them in red roses and confetti!" The laughing became louder.  
  
"Love." Sirius began to mimic Madam Quimble's voice, "Can conquer hate. Show your opponent you love them. It's the best defence."  
  
James and Remus had gone red with laughter but Sirius looked stricken. "I'm going to fail my OWLS you guys. To top it all, the only defence I've learned is to make red roses and confetti."  
  
A small freckled boy by the name of Jeremy Prince, a fellow Gryffindor smiled up at James and introduced himself to Remus and Sirius.  
  
"Hi I'm Jeremy Prince!" He had smiled broadly, "The list on the notice board says that you three and Robin Smith will be sharing a dormitory with because I'm new here!"  
  
A rather tall, dark of face boy stepped forward and introduced himself as Robin Smith.  
  
"As a Gryffindor," Robin began to Jeremy "You must know a couple of things. I'm the troublemaker. Well so are James, Sirius and Remus here. Stacey Lori is the most intelligent of the Gryffindors and the Slytherins, James is the popular one with Sirius and Remus as close seconds."  
  
Jeremy looked completely delighted and proceeded up the dormitory stairs, no doubt to see the bedroom.  
  
"Rob, feel like having a bit of fun tonight?" Sirius asked innocently. Robin smiled cunningly "I need to cause destruction guys. Let's get Filch tonight. He's confiscated my dung bombs."  
  
The boys sat at a table as the Gryffindor common room began to fill up with students. They devised a plan to get back at Filch but Remus kept saying "Do you really want to do it tonight? On our first night? Let's leave it for a couple of days."  
  
James looked annoyed at Remus "You're either in or out Moony. Come on, mate we won't get in trouble. Promise."  
  
"Yeah alright then! I'm in!" Remus gave a weak smiled.  
  
So it was set for that night. Robin, Remus, Sirius and James were going to break into Filch's office and steal back Rob's dung bombs as well as put a jinx in the room to that every time Filch walked in, there was a hurricane. 


	3. James and Lily

A little after eleven, Lily Evans entered the common room looking exhausted and collapsed into the nearest chair. Almost everyone had gone to bed except the Marauders; they had stayed up to plan their excursion.  
  
"You look exhausted Lily." Remus smiled weakly. "It's been a long day. It's hard being a prefect you know." Lily didn't look at Remus. "Yeah, so what did you have to do?" Remus asked curiously. "Me and Severus had to monitor the corridors leading to the dungeon."  
  
James had begun to eavesdrop into their conversation since Snape's name was mentioned.  
  
"Do we have like a rota system?" Remus walked over to Lily and sat beside her.  
  
"Yeah, kind of like pairings. Me and Severus are paired to monitor halls some nights and others, it'll be you and Francesca Stephens."  
  
Remus and Lily were in deep conversation long after the marauders and Robin had planned their trip to Filch's office.  
  
"James, it's a quarter to midnight. We're going to have to leave soon you know." James looked back at Sirius impatiently. "Yeah I know but Moony's deep in conversation."  
  
Sirius gave a long sigh, walked up to Remus and grabbed him by his arm, stopping their conversation abruptly and growled "Remus, lets go to be eh? Long night ahead.err.day ahead of us. Night night Lily."  
  
Lily smiled up at Sirius. "Yeah goodnight. I better go to bed too you know." James and Sirius watched as Lily descended the staircase leading to the girl's dormitories.  
  
"Remus! What is this about Lily and Snivelly being an item then?"  
  
Remus laughed. "They aren't an item Prongs, they just have to monitor halls together. Me and Francy have to do the same too."  
  
Sirius howled with laughter. "Francy is it? Pet name?" James joined in with laughing. Moony's face reddened with embarrassment. "We're just good friends okay?"  
  
Robin spoke after a long time. "Ok are you guys ready? I think we've sorted everything out. James, got your invisibility cloak have you?"  
  
James nodded and they proceeded out of the common room one by one. It was pitch black in the corridors except for the torches on the walls blazing.  
  
"James, have you got the map?" Sirius asked James urgently.  
  
"Oh no, I left it on the table. Hold on, I'll just get it!" James scrambled back in through the portrait hole and walked to the table when he found Lily coming down the stairs. She smiled at him.  
  
"Hi." "Oh err, hi.Lily. What are you doing up?" James' eyes kept darting back to the exit of the common room. Lily was a prefect and if she found out what he was up to, Remus might lose his position as Prefect. "I couldn't sleep. Anyway why are you up?" She looked around curiously. "Oh." James tried to think fast. "Charms.the Charms homework that we had to do over summer. Well I left it on the table and I don't want anyone taking it." Lily observed the parchment curiously. "There doesn't seem to be anything on it." "Invisible ink.so no one can copy it." James lied as he remembered the magic mirror in his pocket. "I'm tired, I better get some sleep. Good night."  
  
James began to walk up the stairs as Lily's voice stopped him. "Is there something wrong Potter? Only you're acting a little strange. This hasn't got anything to do with before has it? About what I."  
  
"No!" James interrupted. "No it's nothing. I'm just a little cranky from the train ride.I get like that after a long journey. I'll see you in the morning."  
  
James ran up the stairs but could still hear Lily in the common room. Wishing that she'd go to bed, he pulled out the mirror and held it in front of his face. "Sirius!" he said clearly into the mirror. Sirius's face popped into the mirror and he looked annoyed.  
  
"James, what are you playing at? COME ON! You haven't lost it have you?" "No I've got it here. It's just Lily's come back down and so I can't come back out." Sirius whispered something to Robin and Remus. "Ok, it doesn't matter." Sirius smiled. "What?" James looked confused. "What doesn't matter?" "Stay. Talk to Lily.we'll go." Sirius had a large smirk on his face. "Are you KIDDING?!" James bellowed. "Prongs look, how often do you get an opportunity to talk to Evans one on one alone? Take the opportunity mate."  
  
Before James had time to protest, Sirius was gone. James heard footsteps going up the stairs and he decided to use the map to find the others and catch up with them. When he appeared in the common room, he had reached the door to get out when Lily caught him.  
  
"I thought you went to sleep." James said. "I heard footsteps going up the stairs." "Yeah.it was Stacey Lori she came down and we were talking. She went back to bed, so where are you going Potter?"  
  
James looked around "Going for a walk. I can't sleep either."  
  
Lily's face brightened. "Can I come then? After all you should have supervision by a prefect when you're out roaming on your own."  
  
"Sure!" James blurted out before he could stop himself.  
  
They walked along the passages as Lily steared them in the direction of Filch's office. James tried to avoid it with no success. He didn't want to run into Robin, Remus and Sirius if they were invisible, especially since they didn't have the map with them.  
  
"How was your summer Potter?" Lily smiled? "Great, terrific." James looked distracted.  
  
"Is your rat okay?" Lily asked, obviously trying to make conversation but also looking rather embarrassed and quiet at the same time.  
  
"Scabbers? Yeah he'll be fine." James smiled reassuringly.  
  
"Did you know that there's a fancy dress party Potter? Snape and I have to set everything up."  
  
James looked down at Lily with mild curiosity while looking out to see if he could spot any sign of his friends as they drew ever so closer to Filch's office. "Fancy dress eh?"  
  
"Yeah, are you going to go? With anyone?" Lily tried hard to keep at a matter of fact place but she was blushing. James obviously didn't notice. Just at that moment, he saw the swishing of the cloak and one of the boys feet appear where the cloak didn't cover it and as they were walking, Lily was just about to collide into them. James had to act fast so he grabbed Lily's arm and pulled her back. Lily had a look of confusion and bewilderment on her face. James pulled her close and kissed her on the lips. They stood there, lips locked for a couple of seconds and then James said:  
  
"If you're not going with anyone, I'd love to go with you." James smiled much more comfortably.  
  
Lily looked surprised and blown away. "Yeah." She said breathlessly. The walk back to the common room was a quiet one. Neither of them said anything to the other. As they arrived at the portrait hole, James thought he'd better break the silence before they went their separate ways.  
  
"I had a really great time Lily." James smiled.  
  
"Yeah me too." Lily was still blushing as she climbed into the portrait hole before James. "Goodnight." She then walked up the stairs. After a while, James went to sleep too. 


End file.
